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Phoenix Officers' Rep Says Law Tells Chiefs to 'Get Out of the Way' on Immigration

April 27, 2010
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Many law enforcement groups have expressed their support for Arizona's new immigration law, which is opposed by police chiefs. Photo courtesy of Gov. Jan Brewer.

Arizona's new immigration law does not mandate that law enforcement officers get involved in "routine immigration enforcement," the Phoenix Law Enforcement Association's (PLEA) Mark Spencer told a local radio host.

While appearing on Mike Broomhead's radio program on KFYI, Spencer said the law gives officers an additional tool that must be embraced by police chiefs who have opposed the bill.

"You'd think this would be a happy day for law enforcement, but really it's just the opposite," said Spencer, the association's president. "It's frustrating when you have to pass a bill to tell a police chief to allow police officers to do police work and enforce the law. This bill mandates that police managers follow the rule of law and allow discretionary contact with ICE to address the crime of illegal immigration."

Spencer said the law has six major components for law enforcement, including that officers must make lawful contact with subjects; have reasonable suspicion based on conduct not skin color; initiate contact at the officer's discretion; refrain from racial profiling; assume everyone is a citizen; and disengage an illegal immigrant if detaining them would hinder an investigation.

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Comments (3)

Displaying 1 - 3 of 3

ROB ROY @ 4/27/2010 9:04 PM

Well It's about time a Law was passed to get idiot Police Chief's out of the way. It's sad but most Chief's of police have no business being in that position. Thier just political appointment's and have no idea what it means to be a Police Officer.

Morning Eagle @ 4/27/2010 9:17 PM

The feds are obviously not going to do anything but make the out of control illegal immigrant situation worse. The states must step up and and take care of themselves. Bravo to Arizona's governor and legislature for the courage to buck the massive "politically correct" D.C. machine and pass this law. Hopefully other states will follow the model with adjustments for their particular situations and put effective laws in place quickly. And yes, politically correct chiefs that are running their mouth (we have one in the largest major metro of the state I live in) stating they will not obey such a law should be told they are entitled to two weeks severance pay and fired. What do the bleeding hearts and protestors not understand about being here illegally is a crime in and of itself? As for the statement made today by the head of DHS (former AZ governor) that she knows the border down there better than anyone and it is more secure today than it has ever been, that is about as brilliant as her initial claim that "the system worked" after the attempted bombing of an incoming airliner back in December was stopped by passengers.

SAM551974D @ 4/28/2010 11:50 PM

Let’s focus on what happens well before and prior to entry - talk to Border Patrol, ICE; Law Enforcement agencies along the border they deal with these horrors each day (believe me, nobody comes through without paying some price to shot callers). Yes there are many who just seek and want a better life for themselves and families. I do understand and have much empathy for that aspect when done legally - but demographics have changed from 30-40 years ago when this was more the norm. There is no doubt in my mind the journey to USA, or even while in the USA is often a deadly one with many never completing some of their goals for a better life or they lose their entire life savings trying, this is where the most focus should be proactive prevention! Department of State-DOS-February 22, 2007, It is estimated that 800.000 people are trafficked across international borders annually, done in the form of human trafficking or as we call it “Trafficking in Persons (TIP)” and linked to organized crime and a multi-dimensional threat to International and US security. 80 percent of the victims are female, and up to 50 percent are minors. This is a role of every nation is at play here – Human trafficking is closely connected with money laundering, document forgery, and human smuggling, rape, murder, drug activity, cartels, gangs, with nothing but victims all the way around. Where organized crime flourishes, governments and the rule of law are undermined and weakened. This is not quoted from AZ law but our own “State Department - Federal level. See: ”http://www.state.gov/g/tip/

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